How to Prepare for the St Paul's Girls' School 11+ Assessment

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A new first stage for 2027: the ISEB Pre-Test arrives at SPGS

If your daughter is applying to St Paul’s Girls’ School for September 2027 entry, there are two important changes to this year’s testing.

A new Stage 1 test. SPGS has replaced its previous first-round test, the Cambridge Select Insight (formerly CEM Select), with the ISEB Common Pre-Test. Advice from friends whose daughters applied in previous years may no longer apply to Stage 1. However, the ISEB Pre-Test has been used for many years by other schools, including Westminster and St Paul’s School, so friends whose sons sat it in previous years are a useful source of first-hand experience.
An earlier Stage 2 date. SPGS has returned to an early December date for its Stage 2 written papers, which this year take place on Saturday 5th December. Your daughter won’t have the Christmas holidays to prepare, so begin Stage 2 preparation alongside Stage 1 rather than waiting for the Pre-Test result.

The Stage 2 papers keep the same three-subject structure (English, Maths and General Comprehension), and the interviews remain in mid-January 2027.

St Paul’s Girls’ School is one of the most academically outstanding girls’ schools in the country, and a place there is a life-changing opportunity. Competition is fierce. If you’re considering this path for your daughter, read on…

Should I attend a St Paul’s Girls’ School Open Day?

Yes, if you can! SPGS aims to give every prospective family one opportunity to visit, either at an Open Event or on a small-group tour. Be aware that this October’s Open Days for 2027 entry are already fully booked at the time of writing, which tells you everything about the level of interest. If you haven’t booked or yet visited, email admissions@spgs.org and ask to join the waiting list for an Open Event or a future small-group tour.

There’s something irreplaceable about walking through Brook Green, seeing lessons in action and sensing the school’s unique atmosphere for yourself. Look out for how the girls talk to each other and to their teachers. This relationship and rapport will tell you a lot. SPGS is a place of lively, confident debate, and you’ll want to know that your daughter will thrive in that environment.

What is St Paul’s Girls’ School looking for in its 11+ candidates?

SPGS states that its 11+ process is designed to identify ‘natural ability, curiosity and potential’. The school’s view on preparation says candidates don’t need to spend lots of time practising, and that it wants girls to respond intuitively, relax and enjoy the material.

We understand this stance, we really do. But let’s address the elephant in the room with honesty. After working with families through this process for over a decade, I can tell you, hand on heart, that every girl I know of who has secured a place at SPGS has had some targeted preparation that will have come from a combination of parents, grandparents, tutors, preparation platforms and school-specific materials, not to mention her current school.

Good preparation is not about drilling or producing a rehearsed, robotic candidate. SPGS would spot that a mile off and, quite rightly, this is exactly what the school is trying to filter out. It’s about making sure that on the day, your bright, curious daughter can show the school what she’s capable of, without being thrown by an unfamiliar format, a ticking clock or nerves.

The right preparation enhances intuition and curiosity; it doesn’t extinguish them.

What does ‘natural ability, curiosity and potential’ mean in an 11+ candidate?

When SPGS talks about natural ability and potential, it is looking for something quite specific, and more nuanced than simply ‘being clever’. Let me explain with some examples…

SPGS wants to see how your daughter’s mind works when she meets something new, such as an unfamiliar maths idea, an unusual text or sets of data she has never seen before.
Can she notice how a writer creates an effect, and explain it in clear, controlled sentences?
Does she ask ‘why?’ and ‘what if?’ Does she make connections between ideas? Will she engage happily with a question that has no single right answer?

None of these qualities are fixed. Every one of them can be nurtured through wide reading, conversation and the right kind of thinking practice.

What are the key dates for SPGS 11+ entry in 2027?

Date	What happens
Fri 6th November 2026, 9 am	Application deadline (late applications not accepted)
By Wed 18th November 2026	Stage 1: ISEB Common Pre-Test (sittings at SPGS on 16 and 17 November although many candidates will take it in their current prep school)
Late November 2026	Stage 1 outcomes; confidential reference requested from current school
Sat 5th December 2026	Stage 2: written papers at SPGS (no alternative dates – clear this date in your diary if this is your top target school)
Sat 16th or Sun 24th January 2027	Interviews
Fri 12th February 2027	Offers sent by email
Tue 2nd March 2027	Acceptance deadline

How can I give my daughter the best chance of success in Stage 1?

This is the most important thing to explain to your daughter: if the questions feel hard, it’s because she’s doing well.

Every candidate must sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test, a computer-based, timed and adaptive test covering verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal reasoning. Adaptive means the questions get harder as your daughter answers correctly, and easier if she struggles.

This is the most important thing to explain to your daughter: if the questions feel hard, it’s because she’s doing well. Strong candidates will meet questions they can’t answer. A girl who knows this keeps calm and carries on. Therefore, have this conversation with your daughter so she knows what to expect.

What does your daughter therefore have to be able to do for the ISEB Pre-Test?

Work accurately and steadily on screen against a visible clock
Read every question fully before answering, as she won’t be able to go back to a question in an adaptive test
Have secure KS2 maths, with no gaps in fractions, ratio, percentages or multi-step word problems
Have a broad vocabulary, built through wide reading to shore up contextual understanding rather than word lists
Recognise every key verbal and non-verbal reasoning question type, so nothing comes as a surprise

Here are our recommended resources for ISEB Pre-Test preparation:

Note: Start with a full practice test to establish where your daughter stands, then use skill-specific practice to address weaker areas before testing again.

Have you seen our article The ISEB Common Pretest: Which Types of Questions Come up in Each Section?

How can I give my daughter the best chance of success in Stage 2?

Girls who pass Stage 1 ISEB Pre-Test will sit three written papers at SPGS on Saturday 5th December 2026.

Shortlisting for the interview is based on these papers alongside the Pre-Test results. The Pre-Test deadline is only about two and a half weeks before this date, so please don’t wait for the Stage 1 result before preparing for Stage 2. Run the two in parallel.

Our recommended starting point for Stage 2:

Note: These bundles contain a variety of resources that your daughter can benefit from, however they are also available to purchase individually. Simply click on “View All Included Products” and select the individual resource you’d like to learn more about.

English Preparation for SPGS 11+

The English paper is a close reading of a passage of literary prose, followed by up to six questions. Some ask your daughter to find information; others ask her to comment on the effect of particular words and phrases. The final question usually gives her the chance to write imaginatively; this is the ‘creative writing’ question.

The paper doesn’t show marks for each question, so your daughter has to judge for herself how much each answer needs. Knowing what to write, and how much, is a skill in itself, and one worth practising. The number of answer lines is a useful guide, but remember that quality matters more than quantity. The lines are there to help her, not to be filled with padding.

Preparation tips for English in the SPGS exam:

Read closely and annotate as she goes, noticing images, changes of mood and the writer’s choices
Answer ‘effect’ questions in three steps: what the word or phrase says, what it suggests, and why the writer might have chosen it. Most children stop after the first step, but the marks sit in the second and third levels of analysis.
Write in varied, controlled sentences with accurate punctuation. SPGS weighs grammar, punctuation and sentence control above spelling.
Save enough time for the final question and write it with imagination and flair. This is usually the ‘creative writing’ question.
Use precise, well-chosen vocabulary rather than showy words. SPGS is clear that obscure vocabulary isn’t needed.

Here are our recommended English resources for SPGS 11+ preparation:

Note: Start with a full SPGS English practice test, then use skill-specific practice before testing again.

Mathematics Preparation for SPGS 11+

The maths paper has two sections. The first opens with straightforward arithmetic to check that the foundations are in place, then moves on to problem-solving. The second uses multi-part questions that introduce a new idea and ask your daughter to apply it.

The questions are grounded in the KS2 curriculum, but SPGS is looking for insight as well as technique. Your daughter may meet concepts that go beyond KS2, which the question explains so she can learn and apply them on the spot. Being able to pick up an unfamiliar idea quickly and use it with confidence is exactly what this part of the paper is designed to test.

SPGS specifically says:

It is very important for candidates to show their working out. A wrong answer cannot be given any credit if it is not supported by working.

This is sound advice which we advocate for any challenging written maths paper, regardless of the school!

Preparation tips for Maths in the SPGS exam

A wrong answer without working earns nothing. Make this an ingrained habit in practice sessions, not just in mocks.
Confident and efficient arithmetic in the first section frees up precious time for the harder questions.
Treat unfamiliar questions as instructions. The multi-part questions sometimes teach a new idea first. Encourage her to read the opening example slowly and try it herself before moving on.
Never leave a blank. A diagram, a partial method or a sensible attempt can all earn credit.

General Comprehension Preparation for SPGS 11+

This is the paper parents ask us about most, the one girls worry about the most and the one many girls end up enjoying the most!

It is built around a theme and a resource booklet of written, visual and numerical material. It tests comprehension in the broadest sense: deduction, inference, organising information, spotting patterns, evaluating evidence and logic. No prior knowledge is required, although KS2 scientific enquiry skills will help.

Preparation tips for the SPGS General Comprehension paper:

Skim the resource booklet first, so she knows what’s there before she starts answering
Interpret charts, tables and diagrams confidently. Practice looking at charts and other ways of presenting information as part of her preparation.
Back up every point with evidence: ‘Table 2 shows…’ or ‘the second image suggests…’
Apply KS2 scientific enquiry skills, such as fair tests, variables and spotting unreliable conclusions. Get her into the habit of interrogating and questioning things.
Remind her to stay curious and open-minded when the material is unfamiliar – not panic!

You can build these skills at home. Newspaper articles with charts, museum leaflets, maps and timetables all make brilliant practice material. Ask her what they tell her, what they don’t tell her, and how she knows.

Here are our recommended General Comprehension resources for SPGS 11+ preparation:

The school publishes its own sample papers, which are well worth using. SPGS notes that they are guidance only and that formats can change from year to year.

The interview stage at St Paul’s Girls’ School

If your daughter is shortlisted, she’ll be invited back for an interview on Saturday 16th or Sunday 24th January 2027. It lasts about 20 minutes with one senior member of staff.

SPGS says it is ‘looking for evidence of creativity, engagement and the capacity for independent thought.’

Let me translate what this means for your preparation: the interviewer wants to watch your daughter think, not hear her perform!

Practise thinking aloud. Put an unusual object, photograph or short poem on the kitchen table and ask, ‘What do you notice? What do you wonder about this?’ The habit of talking through ideas, rather than waiting until she has a perfect answer, is exactly what the interview rewards.
Show her that changing her mind is a good thing. ‘I thought X, but now I’m wondering whether Y…’ shows thought and is a strength, not a weakness. Model it yourself at home!
Read widely, and talk about what you’ve read. She should be able to say why she loved a book, not only what happened in it.
Keep up with world events. Age-appropriate news, such as CBBC Newsround or The Guardian Foundation’s child-friendly news, will give her plenty to discuss.
Avoid rehearsed answers. They are easy to spot and almost impossible to build a conversation on.
Finally, a warning: the interviewer doesn’t want to hear your interests, so don’t be tempted to feed her lines. They want to learn about your daughter and what she thinks.

The Christmas break is an ideal time to prepare. She’ll probably be mixing with family and friends, talking about herself and catching up with people she hasn’t seen for a while. This is golden interview practice without it feeling like practice at all. Then, in early January, a mock interview or two will help her get used to the formal setting, which is new for most 10-year-olds.

What should I do in the final weeks before the SPGS 11+?

If your daughter is sitting the SPGS assessments, the weeks leading up to the exam are about building confidence, sharpening technique and keeping her calm and well-rested, not cramming. Here’s how we’d suggest using the time:

Now to Friday 6th November: Submit your application well before the deadline (9am on Friday 6th November) and confirm her ISEB sitting. If you haven’t already, take a diagnostic practice test in each area so you know where to focus.
October to mid-November: Do short, regular ISEB practice on screen, little and often, so the format and timing feel familiar. Alongside this, start working through SPGS-style English, maths and General Comprehension papers. With Stage 2 coming so soon after the Pre-Test, the two need to run in parallel.
By Wednesday 18th November: Your daughter sits the ISEB Pre-Test by this date. Remind her beforehand that hard questions are a good sign in an adaptive test.
Mid-November to Saturday 5th December: Move to timed Stage 2 practice, and consider a mock exam to build stamina and confidence under real conditions. Keep reading and conversation going every day, as they feed all three papers.
December to mid-January: Enjoy a proper rest over Christmas, integrating relaxed interview conversations ahead of the interviews on Saturday 16th or Sunday 24th January. A mock interview in early January can help with the formal setting.

Above all, protect her wellbeing. A rested, curious girl will show herself at her best, and that is exactly what SPGS is looking for.

Should I hire a tutor for SPGS 11+ preparation?

Professional tutoring isn’t essential for every girl, but can be extremely valuable for many, and for some it makes a crucial difference.

Here are the things to consider about tutoring:

A specialist 11+ tutor knows what SPGS is looking for, especially in the unusual General Comprehension paper.
Many girls respond better to someone who isn’t their parent!
Targeted support – tutors can spot and address gaps quickly.
They will teach efficient exam strategies and techniques that save time and improve accuracy.
A tutor can reduce friction at home by taking the teaching pressure off you.
As such, treating tutoring as a strategic investment in your daughter’s future and a source of reassurance for you is no bad thing.

Building your 11+ support network

The families who succeed at SPGS are those who approach the process with realistic expectations, proper preparation and expert support. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us with any questions. We’ve guided thousands of families through this journey and are always happy to share what we know.

Dates and details correct at the time of writing, based on the St Paul’s Girls’ School website. Always check the school’s own admissions pages for the latest information.

How to Prepare for the St Paul’s Girls’ School 11+ Assessment